2006-12-06 18:49:00
BLACK BOX RECORDER - THESE ARE THE THINGS
"These are the things that keep us together"
Imagine Sophie Ellis-Bextor being produced by Per from Roxette and you've got a taste of what These Are The Things from Black Box Recorder sounds like. Black Box Recorder are a (very) British group that's been releasing sophisticated pop records for the better part of a decade. This track is from their 2003 release Passionoia. And, coming to my attention only a short time ago, it's one of the best pop tracks I've heard all year. Seriously... it puts a lot of so-called "pop" to shame. And, with echoes of Kylie, Pet Shop Boys and the Lightning Seeds, it'd have to.
Listen: Black Box Recorder - These Are The Things
Download: Black Box Recorder - These Are The Things
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2006-12-06 18:45:00
6. Hello Operator (Canada)Poised to be the new Cars, this band has crafted some of the catchiest, shiniest new wave inspired rock of 2006. Their debut EP was absolutely flawless and their most recent song, 55 Regrets, continues in the same manner. A full-length album of this kind of stuff is just the shot that rock radio needs right now. I have extremely high hopes for these guys in 2007.Best Track: Crash & The Radio StarMyspace5. Dangerous Muse (United States)Despite releasing two amazing EPs this year, this duo have yet to put their talents to a full length album. Still, every song that they've released so far has been equally great, and they're poised to fill a dance floor niche that is just waiting for them. With the right song, they could become superstars in 2007. They're already got a lot of fans and I have yet to play their songs for somebody who wasn't instantly converted as well.Best Track: Give Me DangerMyspace
2006-12-06 02:11:00
HOT LITTLE HANDS - DYNAMITE IN BLACK & WHITE"We're howlin' like a bitch in the storm"New Australian band Hot Little Hands has a fantastic sound that's a conglomeration of eighties electro, glam rock swagger and, as they call it, garage-disco. Whatever it is, it's fantastic stuff, sexy rock that eases along on a subdued, yet addictive groove. In some places their music actually bears a strong resemblance to fellow Aussies INXS (before JD, that is). Their debut album comes out early next year and should be fantastic if it's up to the standard set by this song, a piano laced, ragtime-rock confection.Listen: Hot Little Hands - Dynamite In Black & WhiteDownload: Hot Little Hands - Dynamite In Black & White(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! No album yet, but listen to more here.)
2006-12-06 01:57:00
8. Midnight Monkeys (Sweden)
Although there doesn't seem to be any full-length in view (though they've been promising to update their site forever), the songs that Midnight Monkeys have given us so far are nothing short of astounding. A catchy blend of rock, punk and disco, they've got a unique sound and a wonderfully cool looking lead singer. Definitely a wild-card for next year, but if they do actually release anything else they could be huge.
Best Track: Without
Myspace
7. Pompadil (Sweden)
Pompadil miraculously have not been signed to a record label yet, but I am expecting that to change based on what I've heard from them so far. A glistening blend of dance beats with gorgeous vocals, this Swedish duo should be huge once they are recognized for the talent that they are. Wait and see… they will be The Attic of 2007.
Best Track: You Need A Man
Myspace
2006-12-06 01:27:00
Yusuf - An Other Cup
Release Date: November 14, 2006Label: Atlantic/Wea
Yusuf Islam is legendary folk-popper Cat Steven's Islamic name, and the fact that he chose to release his first modern pop release in nearly thirty years under this title reveals what's in store throughout the record. An Other Cup is a spiritual affair, a collection of soft, string-laden hymns for today's weary soul.
Most of the time, the theme works brilliantly. Songs like Maybe There's A World and Heaven/Where True Love Goes work for the same reason John Lennon's Imagine was such a smash. They offer simple, universal melodies and messages, and work extraordinarily well as soft anthems. Even a gentle cover of the Yardbirds' classic Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood is reclassified as a spiritual ballad within the confines of the album. As with any religious and/or spiritual effort, the only time the record sags is when the message gets a little too preachy. In The End and The Beloved are prime examples
2006-12-05 02:28:00
BC CAMPLIGHT - BLOOD AND PEANUT BUTTER "Answer the phone and tell me you're all alone"You are going to love BC Camplight. Sure, he might not exactly look like your typical popstar, but he's talented as hell. Blood And Peanut Butter is one of the best piano-based pop songs I've heard all year (despite being released last year). It's got a fabulously catchy riff and is composed of hook after hook. By the time the female response comes in about halfway through the track, I'm completely sold. Camplight, who is actually Brian Christinzio, has the good sense to orchestrate his songs flawlessly until they glisten like long lost classics. I've had this track on repeat for days now. Enjoy!Listen: BC Camplight - Blood And Peanut ButterDownload: BC Camplight - Blood And Peanut Butter(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2006-12-05 02:20:00
10. Lorraine (Norway)They could be the new A-Ha if they'd ever get it together and release an album. Their debut track I Feel It was a fantastic taster and their cover of the Psychedelic Fur's Heaven was even better. Their brand of catchy synth-pop isn't anything particularly new, but it is completely addicting.Best Track: HeavenMyspace9. Paper Faces (Sweden)I've been following this band since early this year and was delighted when Disco Boy became a hit in Sweden. Since then, they've released two EPs and have a new single out, Breakin' Up. It's quite different from Disco Boy and shows the band's versatility. Their sound is a very nice melding of 80's and 60's influences and should continue to prove successful.Best Track: MistakenMyspace
2006-12-05 02:15:00
REISSUE
Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Release Date: October 4, 2006
Label: Mercury/Universal
Original Album:
Scores of critics have already hailed Lucinda Williams' 1998 Grammy winning effort Car Wheels On A Gravel Road as one of the greatest albums of all time. Needless to say, it's a masterwork of the alt-country (screw it, let's just call it rock) genre. Listening to the recently released remaster, it's easy to see why. What Car Wheels does better than the vast majority of similar albums is capture authentically a sense of place. Whether it's in the details of the rural poetry that comprises much of the album's story-songs, or the unmistakable catch in Williams' voice that heralds her as a narrator who has clearly lived through what she sings, the entire album is like a journey to the Deep South - with all the heartbreak, wonder and comfort that comes with it.A riveting one-woman show, Williams effortlessly becomes her character, be it
2006-12-04 07:22:00
Oh. My. Freaking. God.
Allow me to be a fanboy for a moment here, but I about turned into a rocket and flew around the neighborhood when I discovered this bit of news from the official Ark website:
"A new single from The Ark entitled "Absolutely No Decorum" will arrive in January. A new album will be released around April. Written by Ola Salo and Marco Manieri, who produced "We Are The Ark". The new album will be released by Leif Käcks company Roxy Recordings and distributed by Nordisk Film."
Not sure if the smile will ever wipe off my face.... LOVE the song title, too.
2006-12-04 04:35:00
Bring on the Countdowns!
It's almost the new year, and that means the blogosphere will be bursting with year-end countdowns of the best albums, singles, etc. I'm a bit countdown happy, so #1 Hits will be no different. In fact, starting tomorrow I'll have the first of the bunch as I count down the top ten artists to watch in 2007. Two artists a day...all fantastic!
2006-12-04 01:16:00
Veto - There's A Beat In All Machines
Release Date: February 27th, 2006Label: Tabu Records
Danish band Veto have been praised by critics for their fearless sound and selected as the opening act for portions of the Killers' European tour. The band is definitely hard to classify, as their full-length debut There's A Beat In All Machines confirms. Most tracks are synth driven, but not in the same way as many of their peers. This isn't simple eighties revivalist music, but instead an icier, brooding mixture of electronica and rock.
The album opens with the pounding, passionately sung Can You See Anything? Frontman Troels Abrahamsen immediately imbues the record with a tense, almost hysterical performance. It's absolutely riveting. You Are A Knife is the obvious single, and the most immediately catchy moment on the record. UK band Muse seem to be an influence almost throughout the entire album, especially in the slow-building melodies of Cannibal and We Are Not Your Friends, b
2006-12-03 23:33:00
VANILLA NINJA - COOL VIBES
"Cool vibes, why don't you kill me"
I post this song today knowing that many of you have probably already heard it (or possibly own it). But, for those who haven't, you're in for a treat. Vanilla Ninja are a bizarre rock-tinged girl group from Estonia and honestly, most of their stuff I don't really like. Cool Vibes, though is completely different. Like Bonnie Taylor's Total Eclipse Of The Heart recreated with ridiculous lyrics and over-the-top faux operatic flourishes, the song is unlike anything else released these past few years. Yet, it was a big hit for the group. Vanilla Ninja are a threesome now, but at the time of this song's release they had four members, so that's the picture I'm using.
Listen: Vanilla Ninja - Cool Vibes
Download: Vanilla Ninja - Cool Vibes
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2006-12-03 23:20:00
Listen: Baby's Gang - Challenger
Download: Baby's Gang - Challenger
I posted this track a long, long time ago... but I couldn't resist including it in this eighties week as well. It just baffles me. Mostly, I want everyone to see the video because it is completely beyond surreal. The dancing alone... Despite being strange and mostly unintelligible, the song is so incredibly catchy with one of my all-time favorite synth lines. And, did I mention the video?
2006-12-02 22:37:00
November Promo CD Sleeve #2
With the end of the month comes the next #1 Hits promo cd. From the pure pop of Lucky Soul all the way to the Narcotourist dancefloor, I hope you enjoyed the second half of November. Click on the sleeve to download.
2006-12-02 22:26:00
MARVEL - GODDESS ON THE LOOSE
"When you look as good as me in black skin and white leather"
Marvel are an interesting Swedish group that have fashioned themselves as comic book superheroes, and most of their songs are also comic-book themed. Some are really pretty funny, but Goddess On The Loose, a single last year, is my favorite. It starts off as blistering rock & roll, then moves into some very glammy vocals with just a hint of Tim Curry. There's even some manic guitar solos and a rather epic drum section towards the end. It's clearly the sound of a young band having a lot of fun. Oh yeah, and it is very, very catchy.
Listen: Marvel - Goddess On The Loose
Download: Marvel - Goddess On The Loose
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2006-12-02 22:15:00
Listen: Fancy - Slice Me Nice
Download: Fancy - Slice Me Nice
This song is about as perfect as you can get. First off, the guy's name is Fancy. How cool is that? Secondly, the song's called Slice Me Nice. What the hell is that supposed to mean? And, in case you didn't get it, he even spells S-L-I-C-E. He's very adamant. Thirdly, it contains lyrics like "I'm like a cake that wants to be baked," only the "wants" sounds more like "vants." Beautiful. In fact, there's really nothing bad to say about this track. Fancy's had a long career and has gone on to record hi-nrg records, Christmas collections, and even a euro-dance concept album. The guy's pretty much a genius, I'd say.
2006-12-02 01:43:00
SMALL FERAL TOKEN - A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND
"A girl's best friend is not a rock"
Small Feral Token, in addition to having one of the stranger group names I've come across, are also eerily reminiscent at times of an electronically-backed Tori Amos split with (at times) Canada's Tegan & Sara. The band consists of Lotta and Natalie, two young girls living in Stockholm. Their music is mostly downbeat in sound but very much alive lyrically. Best of all, like a few other bands from Sweden, their entire musical output is available for free on their website. Of the songs I've heard, A Girl's Best Friend was the instant standout. I'll let you draw your own conclusions from the lyrics as to what exactly a girl's best friend is. Hint: it's not a rock.
Listen: Small Feral Token - A Girl's Best Friend
Download: Small Feral Token - A Girl's Best Friend
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Download more for fr
2006-12-02 01:33:00
Listen: Roxette - Teaser Japanese
Download: Roxette - Teaser Japanese
Before Roxette hit it big in the mid eighties, the band put out the Heartland e.p., though the line-up looked a little different. Marie was there... as a back-up singer, and Per took lead vocals on all the tracks. For all intents and purposes, the album is basically the work of Per's former band Gyllene Tider released under a new band name in the U.S. (because, you know... we're far too hopeless here to be able to pronounce foreign words). Teaser Japanese is the opening track of the e.p. and is catchy as hell. Sure, it's kinda dorky... but the ingredients for the Roxette we now know and love are totally there.
2006-12-01 01:50:00
Linda Sundblad - Oh My God!
Release Date: November 16, 2006
Label: Monza Music AB
If a young Madonna had recorded True Blue twenty years later, it might sound a little bit like Linda Sundblad's Oh My God! From the crackling album opener Cheater to the lead single Oh Father, which flirts with the interplay between sexuality and religion, Sundblad brings back sparkly eighties pop and manages to make it sound more authentic (and classic) than most of her peers.
It's quite an achievement for the lead singer of the now-defunct pop/rock band Lambretta, a group known more for their pop hooks than their adventurous attitude. Now, unbridled and borrowing the best from Gwen Stefani and fellow Swedish songstress Robyn, Sundblad explodes with a solo debut that presents an absolute kaleidoscope of pop styles. Nearly everything is successful, but clear standouts are the boisterous Back In Time and the unfortunately titled Who (Q-Boy). The latter is perhaps Sundblad's most eerily â€
2006-12-01 01:38:00
SONIQUE - SLEEZY"I didn't want it easy, gotta wait until the right time"Remember Sonique? She's that British DJ-turned-singer who had a global hit in the late nineties with It Feels So Good. She quietly released her comeback single, Sleezy (that's the ghettoer version of Sleazy, for those not in the know) earlier this year. It more or less follows the same template as her earlier hits, dreamlike club music mixed with r&b all wrapped in a solid pop framework. It's brilliant stuff, and puts many r&b divas to shame. In fact, I'd almost go so far to say that Sonique is the natural heir to Donna Summer's throne. Almost. Listen: Sonique - SleezyDownload: Sonique - Sleezy(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2006-12-01 01:31:00
Listen: Chilly - Taxman
Download: Chilly - Taxman
From their silly 1981 concept album Showbiz, comes this Beatles cover from German disco band Chilly. It's a strange little version of the song, part David Bowie (if David Bowie was some kind of creepy monster) part insanely goofy synth-disco. I wish I could have found a promo shot of the band from this era, as I'm sure it would be suitably funny, but the song stands on its own anyway.
2006-11-30 06:59:00
Track of the WeekThough voting fell off a bit last week, Viola's Sad Eyed Disco Dancers was the clear winner. Who knew? This week there's some stiff competition, though I've got my eyes on one track that I think will be victorious. We'll see if my prediction is right next week...Track Of The Week: (Nov. 19th - Nov. 25th)YOUNG LOVE - DISCOTECHLUCKY SOUL - LIPS ARE UNHAPPYHIGH JUMPING JACK - LEAD ME INTO THE LIGHTPOMPADIL - YOU NEED A MANTHE TENDER BOX - MISTER SISTERTHE SUNSHINE - SABOTAGEBROLLE JR - THE SOUND OF A DRUM Free polls from Pollhost.com
2006-11-30 00:23:00
PAPERPLANE - GROW YOUNG (VOGEL REMIX)
"Pretend to be king, got whatever it takes"
Paperplane are a brilliant new band from Sweden who mix elements of classic bands like the Byrds and the Beatles with a more contemporary edge. This remix of their first single (no album yet) flawlessly combines the old with the new, creating a catchy singalong with just enough spunk to keep it sailing along. It's not terribly different from fellow Swedes Soundtrack Of Our Lives, though I think that this band has the potential to be more pop-based. The song has a very youthful, Spring-like sound to it, perfect for the continuing onslaught of snow this crazy November has been bringing me!
Listen: Paperplane - Grow Young (Vogel Remix)
Download: Paperplane - Grow Young (Vogel Remix)
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the single here.)
2006-11-30 00:07:00
Listen: Joy - Lost In Hong Kong
Download: Joy - Lost In Hong Kong
Austrian threesome Joy recorded some incredible eighties fluff, the kind of songs that can rightfully be called guilty pleasures. They had some "hits," though I prefer this album track from their debut. Lyrically (and musically, actually) it's pretty lame, but the melody, especially in the verses, is far too catchy to be dismissed. And just look at their tough poses!
2006-11-30 00:01:00
Middle Distance Runner - Plane In Flames
Release Date: June 6th, 2006
Do you miss the guitar rock of the mid to late nineties? Inclusive, varied and pleasantly playful, Middle Distance Runner's Plane In Flames dabbles in many sounds, from the Radiohead-like dirge The Madness to the fuzzy garage rock of Man Of The People. Though nothing on the album particularly stands out, the band presents a little something for everyone.
Plane In Flames is a pleasant album, hooky in places, brooding in others, and a spotlight for a band with a lot of potential. The record opens brilliantly with Naturally, a sly, sinister song ironically filled with jaunty hand-claps. Switch It Up continues the playfully sinister tone, with lyrics about a girl intent on finding ways to "dig her nails" into the song's narrator. Both Top Of The Stairs and Up In A Tree are prime examples of the catchy guitar rock the band does very well, while Hooks begins as a atmospheric Death Cab For Cutie sound-alik
2006-11-28 23:04:00
IRIS - APPETITE
"I don't want to lose your faith, I don't want to let you down"
I noticed that the glorious Jessica from Into The Groove posted this track about a year ago, but I still think it deserves another spin today. Iris are an American electronic/pop group clearly indebted to Depeche Mode. Appetite is an amazing pop song, easily transcending any genre and offering a singalong, sophisticated sound. There's something very timeless about the melody. I can never understand why a song like this doesn't become the hit that it should. Iris have, however, found some much deserved success in mainland Europe.
Listen & Download: Iris - Appetite
Download: Iris - Appetite
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2006-11-28 22:08:00
Listen & Download: Baltimora - Tarzan BoyDownload: Baltimora - Tarzan BoyI really should be severely punished for loving this song as much as I do. I mean, look at the guy who sings it! Yes, that is good old Baltimora, poster boy for the really, really desperate. But, before you judge... just listen to the song. Opening with a cavalcade of cheesy Tarzan bellows and then transitioning into uber-catchy verses, it's practically legendary. I wish I could say that I was being completely ironic, but I'm not.
2006-11-28 03:42:00
Darin - Break The News
Release Date: November 22nd, 2006Label: Columbia
Darin Zanyar the popstar was borne from the first season of Swedish Idol, one of the many spin-offs from the massive worldwide Idol franchise. He didn't win (coming in second) but if you've ever watched any Idol program, it'll give you a good idea as to what kind of music Darin records. Break The News, as with his previous two releases, is pure mainstream teen pop. Luckily, it's also a near perfection of the genre.
Break The News finds Darin sounding like a feisty boy band member gone solo (though he was never affiliated with any boy band). He coos, over emotes and snarls at exactly the right points. The sound is manufactured and for the most part overly familiar. However, there are points (the lead single Perfect, album-opener Insanity and party track Saturday Night) that muster an intense pop fervor that hints at what Darin is wisely aiming for. Similarly, chest-beating ballad Everything But The
2006-11-28 02:23:00
DE NOVO DAHL - SHOUT "Just stop and let it astound you"Remember Polyphonic Spree, that immense choir of rockers a few years back with the creepy robes and the general cultish atmosphere? Well, De Novo Dahl are a bit like them, sans the robes and the creepiness. In fact, they are the Spree's superior in almost every single way, due to the fact that their sound manages to be expansive and diverse (based on what I've heard so far). Shout is riveting stuff, the kind of transcendent pop music that makes you want to throw your arms in the air and praise something (whatever floats your boat, I guess). It's perfect for day two of snowed in conditions at the #1 Hits headquarters!Listen & Download: De Novo Dahl - ShoutDownload: De Novo Dahl - Shout(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2006-11-28 02:04:00
This week's special feature will highlight obscure 80's tracks that were either minor hits or album tracks that (in my humble opinion) should have been hits. Get ready for some bizarre, colorful, and catchy songs each day! Listen & Download: Trance Dance - Pickin' Up The PiecesDownload: Trance Dance - Picken' Up The Pieces Trance Dance were a large Swedish group in the eighties that, despite their name, did not play trance music. Instead, they performed a catchy new wave not unlike bands such as Duran Duran mixed with plenty of guitar and male/female vocals. This song gets spotlighted mostly because of the following lyrics: "if you want to do some boogalow, you've got to jump like a kangaroo." I think that's pretty much genius. Plus, the song is insanely catchy.
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